1904 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1904 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska as an independent during the 1904 college football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Walter C. Booth, the Cornhuskers compiled a record of 7–3, excluding two exhibition games. The team played home games at Antelope Field in Lincoln, Nebraska

1904 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Nebraska state champion
Conference	Independent
Record	7–3
Head coach	Walter C. Booth (5th season)
Home stadium	Antelope Field
Seasons ← 1903 1905 →

1904 Midwestern college football independents records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Saint Louis			–					10	–	0	–	0
Bethany (KS)			–					7	–	0	–	0
Northern Illinois State			–					5	–	0	–	0
Missouri State Normal			–					2	–	0	–	0
Haskell			–					8	–	1	–	0
Michigan Agricultural			–					8	–	1	–	0
Cincinnati			–					7	–	1	–	0
Butler			–					6	–	1	–	0
Doane			–					5	–	1	–	0
Kansas			–					8	–	1	–	1
DePauw			–					8	–	2	–	0
Iowa State			–					7	–	2	–	0
Ohio Northern			–					7	–	2	–	1
Michigan State Normal			–					6	–	2	–	0
Wittenberg			–					6	–	2	–	0
Marquette			–					5	–	2	–	0
Nebraska			–					7	–	3	–	0
Detroit College			–					4	–	2	–	0
South Dakota State			–					4	–	2	–	1
Notre Dame			–					5	–	3	–	0
Iowa State Normal			–					5	–	3	–	1
Western Illinois			–					6	–	4	–	0
Heidelberg			–					6	–	4	–	1
Drake			–					5	–	4	–	0
Carthage			–					0	–	0	–	2
North Dakota Agricultural			–					3	–	3	–	0
Wabash			–					4	–	4	–	0
Fairmount			–					4	–	5	–	0
Lake Forest			–					3	–	5	–	1
Ohio Medical			–					2	–	4	–	2
Washington University			–					4	–	7	–	0
Ohio			–					2	–	4	–	1
Missouri			–					3	–	6	–	0
Mount Union			–					2	–	6	–	0
Miami (OH)			–					1	–	5	–	0
Kansas State			–					1	–	6	–	0
American Medical			–					0	–	3	–	0

Nebraska entered 1904 on a 24-game winning streak, a stretch that included undefeated seasons in 1902 and 1903. The Cornhuskers extended the winning streak to 27 games before losing to Colorado on October 8.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 24		Grand Island	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 72–0
September 27		Lincoln High School	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 17–0 (exhibition)
October 1		Grinnell	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 46–0
October 8		at Colorado	Gamble Field Boulder, CO (rivalry)	L 0–6
October 15		at Creighton	Vinton Street Park Omaha, NE	W 39–0
October 20		Lincoln Medics	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 29–0 (exhibition)
October 22		Knox	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 34–0
October 29		at Minnesota	Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)	L 12–16	12,000
November 5	3:00 p.m.	Iowa	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE (rivalry)	W 17–6
November 12	2:37 p.m.	vs. Haskell	Association Park Kansas City, MO	L 6–14	3,000	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
November 19		Bellevue^[a]	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 51–0
November 24		Illinois	Antelope Field Lincoln, NE	W 16–10
All times are in Central time

1. Now-defunct Bellevue College, not to be confused with present-day's Bellevue University^[5]

^[6]

Coaching staff

Coach^[7]^[8]	Position	First year	Alma mater
Walter C. Booth	Head coach	1900	Princeton
John Westover	Assistant coach	1904	Nebraska
Jack Best	Trainer	1890	Nebraska

Roster

^[9]

Barta, Frank G Barwick, Leonard QB Bell, Johnny HB Bender, Johnny HB Benedict, Maurice QB Berry E Borg, Charles C Burns, Donald RT Cotton, Charles RT Craig, Hugh HB Denslow, Lloyd E Eager, Earl HB Fenlon HB Hunter, Fred RG Johnson, William E Knapp QB Lundin, Alford LT Marsh, Earl HB Mason, Cyrus LT Mason, John FB McDonald, Gil QB Mills, Leslie G Reddick QB Richardson LT Robinson E Ryan E Scallon LT Speer RG Standeven E Weller, John HB

Game summaries

Grand Island

Grand Island at Nebraska

1 2 Total Grand Island 0 • Nebraska 72 Date: September 24 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

Despite playing its starters only in the second half, Nebraska beat Grand Island 72–0 in the second-largest victory in school history.^[10][11]

Lincoln High

Lincoln High at Nebraska

1 2 Total Lincoln High 0 • Nebraska 17 Date: September 27 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

Nebraska shut out Lincoln High in a pre-season exhibition game.^[11]

Grinnell

Grinnell at Nebraska

1 2 Total Grinnell 0 • Nebraska 46 Date: October 1 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

On a rainy, muddy day in Lincoln, Nebraska registered its fifth consecutive shutout victory.^[10][11]

At Colorado

Nebraska at Colorado

1 2 Total Nebraska 0 0 0 • Colorado 6 0 6 Date: October 8 Location: Gamble Field, Boulder, CO

See also: Colorado–Nebraska football rivalry

Colorado became the first team to shut out Nebraska in four years, ending the Cornhuskers' winning streak at 27 games. NU had three opportunities inside of CU's 10-yard line, but failed to score on any of them, and Colorado defeated Nebraska for the first time.^[10][11]

At Creighton

Nebraska at Creighton

1 2 Total • Nebraska 39 Creighton 0 Date: October 15 Location: Omaha, NE

^[10][11]

Lincoln Medics

Lincoln Medics at Nebraska

1 2 Total Lincoln Medics 0 • Nebraska 29 Date: October 20 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

Nebraska defeated the Lincoln Medics 29–0 in an exhibition game that was the only meeting between the schools.^[10][11]

Knox

Knox at Nebraska

1 2 Total Knox 0 • Nebraska 34 Date: October 22 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

Despite just one day off since scrimmaging the Lincoln Medics, NU shut out Knox 34–0.^[10][11]

At Minnesota

Nebraska at Minnesota

1 2 Total Nebraska 12 • Minnesota 16 Date: October 29 Location: Northrop Field, Minneapolis, MN Game attendance: 12,000

See also: Minnesota–Nebraska football rivalry

After a one-year break, NU's series with Minnesota resumed in Minneapolis. The Gophers scored first, but Nebraska tied the game shortly afterward, the first time a team scored against Minnesota in 12 games. A late Minnesota touchdown gave the Gophers a 16–12 victory.^[10][11]

Iowa

Iowa at Nebraska

1 2 Total Iowa 6 • Nebraska 17 Date: November 5 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

See also: Iowa–Nebraska football rivalry

^[10][11]

Haskell

Nebraska vs. Haskell

1 2 Total Nebraska 3 3 6 • Haskell 14 0 14 Date: November 12 Location: Kansas City, MO

Nebraska's only points in an upset loss came after recovering a Haskell fumble in the end zone.^[10][11]

Bellevue

Bellevue at Nebraska

1 2 Total Bellevue 0 • Nebraska 51 Date: November 19 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

^[10][11]

Illinois

Illinois at Nebraska

1 2 Total Illinois 10 • Nebraska 16 Date: November 24 Location: Antelope Field, Lincoln, NE

NU faced Illinois to end the season for the second consecutive year. Illinois took an early lead and never let Nebraska take control of the game, but the Cornhuskers held on to win 16–10.^[10][11]

References

1. "Haskell 14, Nebraska 6". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. November 12, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
2. "Haskell Scored From The First". The Lincoln Saturday Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. November 12, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
3. "Reds Play Well". The Sunday State Journal. Lincoln, Nebraska. November 13, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
4. "Reds Play Well (continued)". The Sunday State Journal. Lincoln, Nebraska. November 13, 1904. p. 2. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
5. (23)Bellevue College | lost-colleges
6. "1904 Nebraska Cornhuskers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
7. "Nebraska head coaches". HuskerMax. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
8. "1902 Sombrero - University of Nebraska Yearbook". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
9. "Nebraska Football 1904 Roster". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
10. "1904 Game Recaps". Husker Press Box. Retrieved November 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}
11. "the 1900s". HuskerMax. Retrieved November 14, 2009.